


The Art of Anonymity

by pararanch



Series: one shots and drabbles [12]
Category: Thai Actor RPF, เกลียดนักมาเป็นที่รักกันซะดีๆ | TharnType: The Series (TV), เกลียดนักมาเป็นที่รักกันซะดีๆ | TharnType: The Series (TV) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Is it fluff?, M/M, Online Dating, Romance, Slice of Life, dating app, mild being nosy as always
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:15:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28387647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pararanch/pseuds/pararanch
Summary: Gulf always have a miserable experience when it comes to dating apps. And so Mild offered him to try a new anonymous dating app, without knowing that it was one of his friend and also his own boss — Mew Suppasit.
Relationships: Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat/Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong
Series: one shots and drabbles [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2062137
Comments: 10
Kudos: 102





	The Art of Anonymity

**Author's Note:**

> Arab translation: [here](https://www.wattpad.com/1015166198-the-art-of-anonymity)

Call him an old fashioned one, but Gulf couldn’t help but confused by the concept of modern love. Well, sure, everyone met their loved ones through dating apps nowadays. A lot of them even make it through the altar. Especially given with his job as a wedding photographer, he heard a lot of ravishing reviews when it comes to meeting your true love within your fingertips, like, quite literally. A lot of his clients met through those dating apps, and through his eyes — where he could easily detect emotions, given with his jobs — he could see that their love weren’t fake. In fact, he couldn’t differentiate the true feelings of love between the couples who met in traditional way, and through those modern technology.

They were all a sincere love. Not that he could judge it as a true love — well, he’s not a God. He didn’t know if they would last or not. But, well, they never faked it. They really have the same sincere feelings for one another — to the point where they are serious enough to take the next step.

Also, it didn’t help that with his job, meeting those couples — meeting people that literally head over heels for one another... it didn’t help it that made him to want that kind of relationship, too. Despite his harsh features and his nonchalant look, Gulf also want to believe that happily ever after is exist, too.

“Well, why don’t you try it? I mean, there are a lot of dating apps nowadays. If you’re not comfortable with Tinder, they have a lot of other options too, you know,” Mild nonchalantly said to him one day, when Gulf talk about this matter.

“Why don’t _you_ try one?” Gulf retorted back because he knew that Mild just broke up with his long time boyfriend not too long ago.

“I’m still nursing my broken heart,” He faked a pout, which made Gulf scrunching out his face with disgust. “Why are your face was like that?”

“You said that when _you’re_ the one that ended the relationship,” Gulf heaved a sigh as he shook his head.

“Well, we have been through far too long with each other, and I couldn’t see that we will be going somewhere with our relationship,” The older one shrugged lightly. “I mean... yes, we loved each other. And in someway or another we’re each other’s first..... but.... I feel like we’re better off as friends rather than lovers?”

“How could you decided that, Phi? Are you mistook your feelings before or what?”

“I’m not, we used to be head over heels with each other.... but.... you know.... sometimes life happened and one day you will woke up with the realization that you don’t think that you want to spend your entire life with that person,” Mild pondered a bit, and nudged their other friend who were busy with his phone. “Right, P’Mew? You could understand that, right?”

“What?” The older one startled from his earlier focus at his phone. “I’m sorry, I was busy typing emails to the clients.... what are you talking about?”

“The fact that sometimes we don’t need to have drama or disagreement to end our relationship with our partner?” Mild tilted his head, while Gulf moved forward curiously.

“Wow, such a heavy topics so suddenly?” Mew put back his phone to the table.

“Our Nong right here didn’t believe that we could fall out of love just because life happened,” Mild raised his eyebrows. “He must be way too young to experience that or something.”

“I mean— okay, _if_ that could happened. But doesn’t it feels too cruel for the other party?” Gulf frowned from his fluffy bangs. “What if you’re the only one that feels that way? Don’t you think it’s not fair if your ex were still deeply in love with you but suddenly you snapped out of it and ended it rightaway?”

“Well, nothing good would come out from a one sided love, isn’t it?” Mew rested his chin on his palm. “If you forced your feelings — if you forced something that already didn’t exist — it won’t be fair to the other party as well. What if they could find another prospect of love? It will be better for the other one to let go of the relationship, isn’t it?”

“That’s my point, exactly. It won’t be fair to my ex, Gulf. He could find someone better than me. Someone that could help him to be a better version of himself. And unfortunately, it’s not me,” Mild was smiling sadly.

“What if he still wanted to be with you, Phi?” Gulf still pushed him around.

“Nong... someday you will understand, okay,” Mild tapped his head in assuring manners. “My point is... it could happened.”

“So, why aren’t _you_ moved on and find another one? You said it by yourself — _find true love! Find new person! Don’t be far too hang up with your past!”_

“Just because I’m the one that ended the relationship, doesn’t mean that I didn’t feel hurt as well,” Mild darted his eyes to Gulf. “I need to be finished reflecting with myself first, you see. Before searching for another one.”

Gulf nodded to himself before he asked his other friend, “Why don’t _you_ find one, P'Mew?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Mew snapped back moving his eyes from his working tablet.

“Don’t you have eyes, Ai’Nong?” Mild rolled his eyes. “The last time P’Mew broke up with his girlfriend was because he was way too busy with his work.” He flailed his hands to the older one who took a seat beside him.

“Well, I’ve tried, those apps that you’re talking about, Gulf,” Mew shrugged before he moved his eyes back to his tablet and typed something, probably typing another schedule or booking for their clients. “But, it took so much effort, I barely could reply to all of them. Having one person to put my attention to is tiring enough as it is, let alone when you have so much options to talk to and figure out things about them one by one...”

“Then, reply to the one that seems to be the perfect contender for you from all of your matches,” Mild replied as if it was that easy.

“How could you know that someone is perfect for you when you don’t talk to them, Ai’Mild?” Mew eyeing him tiredly, then move his eyes back to his tablet. “What I’m saying is, I didn’t even know if they looked that way in real life, if they put their real pics, or use some random person's, so the only thing that I could judge from them is the conversation,” Mew heaved a sigh. “Which, as you can see, I barely could touch my phone for my personal needs since these clients’ enquiries wouldn’t be replied by themselves.”

“Might as well marrying your own job, Phi,” Mild rolled his eyes again.

“Well, then how could both of you pay your rents?” Mew shut both of them easily because he was simply right. Being the owner of a private event organizer company, he was the one that gave them the job and gave them their monthly salary to survive. Apparently, having your close college friend as your acquaintes at workplace sometimes make them forget about their position in the said company. “Well, Kaownah’s here, I’m going to oversee that event in Pattaya, okay? Don’t forget that both of you will need to have meeting with that couple who wanted to took their engagement pics at Maya Beach at 4pm, okay? See you guys around,” He raised himself from the seat and walked to the entrance’s door way.

 _“Ouch,”_ Gulf winched from P’Mew’s words that cut through the reality like a razor.

“I know right? Ouch,” Mild nodded in agreement.

“Well, he’s right though, I agree with some of points that P’Mew said earlier,” Gulf replied as he opened his own laptop to checked if he already sent the right files to the printing company. “I mean — he’s right, the fact that we couldn’t judge a person by their looks on the apps. We never know if they used faked pictures, right?”

“What about it?” Mild asked curiously. “Did someone ever deceive you?”

“Well, it’s not like I’ve never tried those apps, right? I’ve tried, and more often than not, they sometimes didn’t appear to be someone that we expected them to be?” Gulf sighed tiredly. “And it’s also worked for both party. Sometimes they think I didn’t look as good like in my photos — or the fact that I’m way too tanned, or too tall? Too scary?? Like, what the fuck, I’ve never forget the way that girl suddenly run away when she saw me at our first time to meet each other — she said she didn’t saw me. Well, I _could_ see her, _I’m clearly not blind?!”_ The younger one gritted his teeth annoyedly. “Not like she’s that pretty, either?!”

“Nong, accusing things to someone won’t make you appear good, no matter what, even if they were bad...”

“Why are you acting like Gandhi, Phi?” Gulf snapped annoyedly. “Like you won’t act the same way when you were in my shoes...”

“Not that you’re a saint, either, Nong,” Mild retorted back. “One day you will say the way that girl way too short for you, or that guy way too weak for you, or that girl’s voice’s pitch is way too high— like, you always have something negative to say with your matches through these apps. It’s only time that you were judged in similar manners, you see?”

“Well, my point is, I’ve tried, and it didn’t work so far for me,” Gulf closed his laptop tiredly. “Some of people might could find the one through those apps, and I don’t think that it’s for me. Like, I don’t find that spark and curiosity like when I found someone in the traditional way.”

“Well, _then_ found someone in the traditional way,” Mild shrugged.

“Like it was that easy, Phi?” Gulf shook his head tiredly. “We don’t have that opportunity to meet new people like in school, now that we’re already graduated, we barely have new circle of friends.”

“Well, we met a lot of new clients almost every single day?”

“Phi, _the_ clients we’re talking about here, are couples. I’m not here to ruined someone’s relationship? Also, it will be a huge risk to our job?”

“Well, you have a lot of friends.....”

“A lot of my friends are taken, the single one left are people that I would never be consider to be my partner. Like, you? P’Mew? Boat? Ewww....” Gulf scrunching up his nose in disgust, which only made Mild hit him in annoyance.

“Why are you being disgusted with me?!”

“It’s not like you ever consider yourself to date me, right?” Gulf shuddered, and the older one started to look a bit sick when he imagined that.

“Well— you’re right,” Mild shuddered as well. “However.... Kaownah told me last week that he found someone that he would consider to date with this new app....”

“What make it different to other apps, Phi? Are you their hidden marketing team or what? Why are you keep pushing this dating app agenda when you never used one, anyway?” Gulf asked him with suspicion.

“Ayyyy— you know I barely have time for that, I’m busy enough as it is,” Mild sighed. “But anyway, this app Kaownah talking about... he told me that it sort of anonymous? So you need to fill your personal interest in detail, and someone that you want to seek through the app, and they will offer you someone to talk to without seeing their physical features.”

“How do you know that they give you the right person?” Gulf feels intrigued but curious, anyway, “I mean— though I’ve never have specific type when it comes to physical features, but I’m surely want to date someone that looks good in my eyes? I want to have beautiful children, you see, Phi?”

Mild scoffed when he heard that, “Gulf... maybe this is the right time where you could stop judging someone by their physical features and actually engaging in a quality conversation.”

“But, Phi—,” Gulf huffed childishly.

“This is total anonymous, you see? You’ll never know of you’re lucky enough and you choose someone’s good looking?” Mild could see that the young photographer still eyeing him skeptically. “I mean— you said it by yourself, right? That you didn’t like to be judged with your looks? And also, you never know of your opposite partner using faked pictures or not? Why don’t you start with this anonymous app and actually start to knowing someone through a deep conversation?”

“It is creepy, Phi. You’ll never know if you would meet a weirdo...”

“All of this dating apps and online dating concept are creepy to begin with, Nong, but people could met their other half, anyway,” Mild shrugged. “I mean... what are you missing in a relationship? The conversation, right? The attention? The fact that you want someone to hear your blabbering?”

“I miss having someone to hold on, to rely on....”

“Well, that will happened through the next step after the conversation,” Mild shook his head amusedly. “If you only wanted someone to please your needs, might as well search for a one night stands in the night clubs.”

“Who are you? Are you my mom?” Gulf pouted, clearly feeling accused.

“You want to find true love or someone to get laid? Choose one!” The older one continue to acted like his mom — being the mother friend that he was.

 _“Fine...._ true love....,” Gulf mumbled in a small voice, making Mild smiling in satisfaction.

“Then, try with a quality conversation,” Mild replied in a hard tone, then reached for Gulf’s phone and unlocked it easily since he never put any password on it. “Here... I’m installing you the said app... use it wisely, okay? Here, fill with your data and interest.”

Gulf frowned when he got his phone back from the older wedding planner. What was it, actually? The fact that he needed to write it in specific regarding his age, beliefs, religion, hobbies, favorite movies, favorite music, astrology, his descendant, his height, his weight, what kind of partner that he looked up with the same specification, when he would like to get married, if he was looking someone to have a serious relationship or just for looking around..... It oddly feels like he would be choosing someone from an invisible catalogue from a matchmaker.

“I already filled all of them.... now what else?” Gulf continue to asked Mild after probably a good fifteen minutes.

“You will have to wait until they will find someone for you to talk to,” The older one clapped his hands excitedly.

“So we couldn’t send pics or something through this apps....?”

“No, you can’t. You also can’t share your number here. It’s their way to protect their users from sexual assault, since a lot of women apparently reported about that specific issues in other dating apps.”

“So, what if we want to meet our matched person?” Gulf leaned his back to the chair, seemingly uninterested.

“You both have to call the operator that you were mutually agreed to meet each other,” Mild nodded surely.

“That's too much work," Gulf scratch his head frustratingly. "You clearly know too much about these dating apps when you never use one, Phi...”

“Well, let’s just say that I love to hear my friend’s stories and complains unlike you...,” Mild heave another sigh and look at him skeptically. “Listen, Gulf, I’m not your mom. I couldn’t control wether you will be using this app properly or not. Even your own mother couldn’t control you, for God’s sake....” He shook his head tiredly. “What I’m saying is, give it a try. Yes, you never know this person that you’re going to chat to begin with. And yes, you’re totally freaking bad at conversations, especially with new person. You even freaking talk to me with odd selection of stickers and lame word play through LINE even if we already knew each other for a long time....”

“You know all of it already, so why are you keep pushing me to do it, Phi?” The younger one pouted again.

“I’m tired to hear your endless complains of your failed dates, you see,” Mild grumbled a bit. “I mean... I know that deep within, you’re a hopeless romantic.... That you always want to have _that_ thing, _that_ spark that our clients have... just try one. When they could find their true love with this modern technology, why couldn’t you? Yes, those other apps failed you, but what if this one could? Just give it a shot, who knows if it will work, right?”

And so, it suddenly appeared. After he finished from his work, when he was totally ready to welcome the bed that he clearly missed after a long day of work, the confirmation from the operator, and it give a short notification that he could start the chat immediately, and they will find another option for him if he didn’t give any response to the chat room.

Gulf pondered a bit, waiting. He was always bad at starting a conversation. Usually, with his crushes on school and college, he would only started with weird or cute stickers at LINE, and then continue the conversation based on what the other person replied. And the thing that made him also bad with these dating apps.... also the fact that they only have basic emojis that were so freaking limited to express what he really wanted to saying. He heaved a sigh, still scrolling through the a set of emoticons that he could try..... until it appear.

**To: you**  
hi! :) 

**From: you**  
oh, hi, didn’t expect that you will greet me first! :)

 **To: you**  
i’m sorry, is it too late? are you going to sleep already? 

**To: you**  
we could continue tomorrow morning, if you’d like

 **From: you  
**it’s okay, i’m not going to sleep in probably... 30 minutes... maybe.

**To: you  
**have an early meeting tomorrow?

 **To: you  
**wait... you’re not still in school, aren’t you?

 **From: you  
**lol, god, no.

 **From: you  
**i’m already graduated A LONG time ago.

 **To: you  
**i’m sorry it’s just.... this app is so confusing, like i don’t have any idea of what kind of person that i’m talking to

  
**From: you  
**i know right???? It’s super confusing to me as well.

 **From: you  
**well, i’m usually working at usual working hour  
  
**From: you**  
but tomorrow i need to wake up earlier because i need to be in pattaya like, in 8am.

 **From: you**  
so i need to drive from Bangkok at probably 6am.

 **To: you  
**wow, good luck, it must be tiring!!!  
  
**To: you  
**you must sleep early, or else you will be tired at the road :(  
  


**From: you  
**its okay tho, i usually sleep like super late.  
  
**From: you**   
so 11pm is considered early for me

  
**To: you  
**wow??? and you won’t be tired at work???  
  
**To: you  
**well, i’m usually sleeping at 10pm  
  
**To: you  
**but today, i had too much caffeine, i guess, so i just couldn’t shut my eyes

  
  
**From: you**  
aow, poor you :(  
  
**From: you**  
do i need to sing u a lullaby  
  
**From: you**  
or tell you a bedtime stories....

  
  
**To: you  
**lol pls no

  
  
**From: you**  
thank god you declined, im terrible at it.

  
  
**To: you**  
lol u’re kinda funny

  
  
**From: you**  
really??? my friends always told me that my jokes are lame.

  
**To: you  
** oh, maybe i just have a low taste at jokes....  
  
**To: you  
** well, i kinda DO laughed easily.  
  
**To: you  
** im easy to pleased, i guess

  
  
**From: you**   
lol thank you, it’s such an honour that i could lighten up your day a bit.  
  
**From: you**   
but anyway  
  
**From: you**  
its kind of awkward  
  
**From: you**  
but can we exchanged our name here??  
  
**From: you**  
this app is kinda odd

  
  
**To: you  
** oh yeah, i didn’t know, either.  
  
**To: you  
** it’s my first time to use it, so....

  
  
**From: you**  
my friend told me that they monitor our chat....  
  
**From: you**  
and that we couldn’t share our personal number and pics...  
  
**From: you**  
but??? won’t it be odd if i couldn’t call you by name?

  
  
**To: you**  
well.... just let’s call each other by our stage name then

  
  
**From: you**  
lol stage name  
  
**From: you**  
are we lady gaga or beyonce or what

 **To: you**  
okay, let’s just call me mick

  
**From: you**  
well, hello there mick  
  
**From: you**  
nice to talk with you  
  
**From: you**  
nice to talk to you too ^^

  
  
**To: you**  
so, who are you?

  
**From: you** :  
oh.... yeah.....  
  
**From: you** :  
then.... i will go by the name goob

  
  
**To: you**  
hello goob ^^

  
  
**From: you**  
hi mick!!

  
  
**To: you**  
so what will you do at pattaya tomorrow?

  
  
**From: you**  
oh yeah, so we will be having photoshoot tomorrow...

  
  
**To: you**  
oh!! you’re a photographer?

  
  
**From: you**  
well, some kind like that  
  
**From: you**  
nothing too glamorous, tho  
  
**From: you**  
my pictures never appeared on that glossy fashion magazines, lol.  
  
**From: you**  
or fancy exhibitions.

  
  
**To: you**  
it never mattered, though.  
  
**To: you**  
at least you made a living through it.  
  
**To: you**  
but you’re enjoying your job, right?

  
  
**From: you**  
well.... i never expected to be a photographer to begin with tho  
  
**From: you**  
although im an art graduate, and that sort of one of my career of choice, but....  
  
**From: you**  
it was sort of accidental?  
  
**From: you**  
well, that’s for another time, though.  
  
**From: you**  
it's a very long story.

  
  
**To: you**  
ah.... i see  
  
**To: you**  
will be waiting for the day you’re telling me that story!  
  
**To: you**  
it must be interesting

  
  
**From: you**  
nothing’s totally interesting, lol  
  
**From: you**  
well what about you?

  
  
**To: you**  
ah— i’m sorry goob but my coworker suddenly calling me...

 **From: you**  
this late? O____o

  
**To: you  
**i’m afraid that it will be urgent, so...  
  
**To: you  
**we will talk to each other tomorrow, okay?

  
  
**From: you**  
wow, what a workaholic.

  
  
**To: you  
**it’s not the first time that i heard it, lol

  
  
**From: you**  
just... don’t tire yourself too much, okay?

  
  
**To: you  
**thank you :)  
  
**To: you  
**ttyl!  
  
**To: you  
**have a sweet dream :)

“What are the odds, right? It’s been a while since you’re busy with your phone and NOT watching a premiere league rerun or send some kind of football memes to your high school friends...,” Mild eyeing him suspiciously, smirking while watching the younger photographer busy typing to his phone.

“Our client texted me that they will be late a bit because they had to return to the hotel to because he forget one of the bride-to-be’s gown, Phi,” Gulf sighed and looked up to Mild with confusion. “What?? Why are you looking like me like that?”

“I don’t know,” He shrugged, looked rather disappointed. “I thought that new dating app working out for you.”

“Well, it kinda does?” Gulf pondered a bit, he sipped his ice tea a bit because the sun in the Krabi was started to blaring. Today they had pre-wedding photoshoot in one of the hidden beach in the island, and he started to think wether he could get the right lighting since the sun will give a harsh light at this time, and the picture won’t be pretty with 12pm sunlight.

“Really? So how is it going? Why you haven’t told me anything?” Mild moved forward curiously while Gulf eyeing his assistants that busy checking the pretty spots and the reflectors.

“I don’t know if it will go somewhere... but sometimes it feels like I found a new friend? He’s really nice to talk to,” Gulf shrugged his shoulder lightly.

“So, it’s a 'he'?” The older one smirked again. “I don’t know that you’re specifically searching for a guy? You know, since the app were very specific with your type, right?”

“Well, I leave the the gender part a blank, it doesn’t really matter for me, though, you already know about that. And then _ta-daam_ , they found this guy for me.”

“How long you already talk to each other?” Mild keep pushing him curiously.

“I don’t know.... a month, probably?”

“I didn’t know that you’re a fan of slow paced relationship?”

“I didn’t know, either. Which is why... I told you that it’s like I’m talking to a new friend,” Gulf tilted his head slightly, checking his watch, and checked if the future bride and groom will be arrived shortly.

“What is his name? What kind of person he is? Where is he working at? Is he older than you?” Mild keep pushing him for new information.

“The problem is... with this app, since they monitor all of our conversation with each other — well, you said it yourself right? For security issue? We’re kinda tiptoeing with our personal information, since we didn’t know what kind of info that we could reveal to each other or not... and it’s also his first time with the app... so... we kinda know a lot of things about each other but also didn’t know some things about each other...?”

“What?” Mild eyeing him confusedly. “So, how far do you know him?”

“Well.... I knew that he’s a guy older than me by a couple of years... that he owned a pomeranian, that he’s super busy, like one day he would be in the Southern and then suddenly he would be in the Northern by the end the day....,” He pouted his lips and trying to remember things, “What else... probably the fact that he had huge interest towards movies, series, and anime... he apparently even owned a collection of figures that he collected from his childhood...”

“What he do for living?” Mild nodded his eyes curiously.

“I never really asked, you know that’s very impolite for you to ask that. But he’s like, _very_ very busy, though. He involved with a variety of background from art exhibition to concerts... sometimes wedding...?”

“Weddings! We might ever meet him, it could be someone we know, right? Didn’t you told him that you worked at this industry as well?”

“I told him, but well, this industry is rather huge, Phi, it’s not like I know everyone from this industry, right... since I only worked less than 5 years here...,” He shrugged.

“But there are possibilities, right?”

“Well, I don’t want to push my luck,” He chuckled. “Ah, they’re finally here! I wish they don’t need to retouch their makeup or something first,” Gulf sighed. “Hurry up, Phi. P’Mew told us that we need to catch our flight back to Bangkok by 6pm!!

**To: you**  
Hi, are you already back in bangkok?

  
**From: you**  
yeah.... just landed safely, thank you for asking ^^

  
**To: you  
**have i told u that my coworkers also landed from krabi today?  
  
**To: you**  
they might catch the same flight with u

  
**From: you**  
woah... what a small world

 **From: you**  
are you already going back home?

 **To: you**  
yeah.... i finally have time to go to my family’s house after so long  
**  
To: you  
**finally get to reunited with my cute dog /*^___^/*

  
**From: you**  
ah, finally!!  
  
**From: you**  
send my greetings for him!! :)

  
**To: you**  
ofc! :)

  
**From: you**  
pls don’t mind if i won’t replying shortly  
  
**From: you**  
way too tired today, i might ended up sleeping in the taxi back home, lol

  
**To: you**  
ah, sorry to disturb u  
  
**To: you**  
but, anyway, stay safe!!

  
**From: you**  
thank you :) have a good weekend at home!  
**  
From: you**  
ttyl!

“Why are you keep yawning like that?” Mild slapped Gulf’s head when he arrived at the office in Monday morning. “Are you busy chatting with your matched last night or what?”

“Huh? Gulf been seeing someone?” Mew asked from the other side of the room, where he was taking his first cup of coffee from the coffee machine.

“Aow, P’Mew, you scared me, I didn’t see you there,” He jumped a bit before he dragged his seat and took a seat beside the younger photographer’s desk. “But, yeah, Gulf finally found an app that working out for him! Yayyy!” He clapped so excitedly, as if it was his own achievement.

“Really? Which app?” Mew asked interestedly.

“The one that I’ve told you sometime ago, Phi. Have you used it properly?” Mild eyeing him suspiciously.

“Well, I used all of the recommendation that you gave to me, but I only replied to them occasionally, when I have time,” Mew shrugged when he took a sip of his hot coffee.

“Aow, never change, aren’t you?” Mild rolled his eyes tiredly. “Who knows? Maybe Gulf would found someone earlier than you, Phi.”

“Why it sounds like you signed me up to a competition that I’ve never been interested in?” The older one chuckled and took a seat right in time where Boat coming in. “Ah, anyway, Boat told me that he’s been talking to someone interesting lately through the app. Wow, Mild, they really should give you some commission or something.”

“I’m happy when my friends are perfectly happy and found someone that they loved,” The shorter one crossed his hands on top of his heart.

“You should be working on those matchmaking app company, not here,” Mew chuckled amusedly.

“Well, we kinda are?” Mild smirked. “Perhaps, not the matchmaking part, but, we help people to built the perfect moment for probably one of the most important day of their life.”

Mew raised his cup of a coffee and tilted his head in acknowledgment to Mild before he moved his attention to his laptop.

“So, how about your progress, Boat?” Mild asked Boat interestedly.

“I think I want to ask him to meet me soon....” He pondered a bit.

“Wow, progress!” Mild clapped his hands excitedly.

“You see, Gulf! That’s _how_ you should move! Don’t acted as slow as a snail, you wouldn’t know if someday he will be snatched by other potential partner!” Mild clicked his tongue at Gulf’s way. “When you’re already spent all night to talk to him.”

“I’m not, I watched Premier League last night, Phi,” Gulf tried to held his yawn. “Anyway, my match is an early sleeper, there’s no way that we would talk to each other past midnight.”

“Are you dating a high school boy or what?”

“He’s older than me,” Gulf rolled his eyes and bury his head back on top of the table. “Wake me up when the client already here, okay, Phi?”

Mild look at the younger photographer with a heavy judgment before he glanced to the owner of the office, “P’Mew should we cut Gulf’s pay check or what?” Which older one replied with a chuckle before Gulf throw a crumbled paper to Mild’s head.

**To: you**  
should we meet?

Gulf gulped down nervously when he read that notification after he arrived at his condo. The thing is... his previous encounter with meeting his matches in real life always been a mess. And throughout this whole month, Mick indeed been someone that he enjoyed to talk to, to the point where he was comfortable enough to talk about his problems to him. Even his own friends never know about him that much. And it scared him that while he knew a lot about his match, he also didn’t know a lot about him. As simple as his real name, for example. Or what kind of job that he do for living. Gulf also never knew if he already that interested, because enjoying someone’s presence through a conversation didn’t equal to wanting to have a relationship to the said person, right?

He bite his lips and try to remember his client’s face — those couples that met through those dating apps. Well, it could be real. Perhaps, this time, maybe, just maybe, he would meet someone that he will genuinely like through the app?

Well, at least he could be friends, right? It’s not like that they will have to end up as a couple?

**From: you**  
Should we?

Apparently, the process to talking through the operator wasn’t really hard and time consuming, and even when they already given each other’s personal number, they decided to still using the said app to decide the meeting time and place because they already comfortable enough with the app. They decided to meet each other on a Japanese restaurant that Mick said served the best authentic Japanese food in Bangkok. Gulf never have any specific interest when it comes to food since he mostly only eat at the local food stalls, so he just agreed easily.

However, he was pretty disturbed when Boat said that he will be also meeting his match on the similar time to him. In Siam area as well. Well, there are literally _tons_ of restaurants in Siam, right? It wasn't like they will be going to the same restaurant, right? 

When Gulf trying to remember if Mick have the similarity to Boat, wether the puppy that he owned was a pom or shih tzu or toy poodle — _why there are a lot of dog's breeds to begin with??? It wasn't like he could remember all of them???_ — Let's just say that sometimes Gulf was glad with Mild's ability and consistency when it comes to peering into his friends' life. Therefore, when Boat confirmed that he will be going to that new French restaurant in EmQuartier that people been lining up to, he just glad that at least, he won't be meeting Boat as his match. He literally couldn't imagine the awkwardness that would be happened if it was his close friend in real life. 

“Ooooohhhh, our Gulfie will finally be meeting his match todayyy!!!!” Mild chirping excitedly after they finished the last photoshoot of the day.

“Oh really? You will be meeting your match today, Nong? Good luck!” The future bride smiled at him prettily. “Have I told you before? Me and my future husband also met each other through dating apps, in fact, the weirdest one where we should stay anonymous before we get the chance to meet each other!”

“Oh, Gulf also used the same app, Phi,” Mild answered for him. “So, what do you think about the app?”

“Well, one thing for sure, it was the start for us until we reached up to this point,” The handsome future groom suddenly walking closer and kissed the back of his bride’s hand as they look at each other with _that_ stare. It was way too romantic for Gulf’s hopeless romantic side, and he just sigh with the fact that he get to see these kind of act in daily basis.

“Anyway,” The bride look back at Gulf’s way whilst still blushing. “You won’t feel disappointed, Nong. If you’re already comfortable enough to talk to your match for a long time, at least you could be friends, right?”

“Well, that was my plan,” Gulf was smiling amusedly.

“It will be even better if you get to marry your best friends, though,” The groom looked back at his bride fondly, clearly being whipped to her. “We might not a childhood friend, or each other’s first love, but at this point, we are certain that we’re each other’s best friends, friends for a lifetime, friends through thick and thin... because at the end of the day, your partner have to be your best friend as well, right? Someone that you know and understand the most?”

Gulf pondered a bit while hearing their words that ringing through his head, and smile to them. Why he never thought about that before?

“Well, good luck on your first date!” The groom pat his shoulder assuredly. “See you guys next week at the wedding, okay? We will probably checking the venue for the rehearsal with Mew at D-2, though.”

“Thank you for your hard work, today!” The bride smiling widely. “Hopefully your match will be someone that you imagined to be, Nong!” She whispered to Gulf playfully before they bid each other good bye.

As Gulf drove to the Japanese restaurant that located at the Siam, he pondered silently. When he always have specific expectation when he met his matches in the past, this time... he oddly didn’t have it. In fact, he never knew what to expect. He never saw his photo nor heard his voice, and even didn't know his real name. He simply didn’t knew what to expect. Well, the thing that will make you disappointed was the fact when you put so much expectation to something, wasn’t it? He parked his car at the relatively quiet restaurant, that he never expect would be this fancy.

He felt silly when he had to ask the waitress for the booking under the name Mick, and he silently walked to the tatami floored restaurant, dimly lighted, and filled with wooden and bamboo furnitures as he followed the waitress to the booked private room with a sliding door. As the waitress opened the door, he stunned when he saw someone familiar inside, and repeatedly blinked his eyes, as if trying to make sure that it was real. He whispered to the waitress, asking if it was the right room, and she just smiling to him so surely and finally left them after she said, “Please press the provided bells in the table if you need me.” And gave them a final wai.

Gulf finally took a seat in front of the familiar guy, that he clearly never expected to be here. He coughed lightly to hide his nervousness before he looked up to the person who smiling at him amusedly. Well, this person won’t be judging him for his height, skin, or looks, that for sure, _but—_

“P’Mew, are you sure you’re not in the wrong room?” Gulf bite his lips nervously.

“I’m not.... though.... Goob?” He tested the water before Gulf coughed again to hide his panic and embarrassment.

“So, you knew? All these time?”

“Well, I never guess that it would be you, but it was a nice surprise,” The older one chuckled. “Though come to think of it, sometimes, it would be easily make sense.”

The thing is, he never been _that_ close to P’Mew to the point where he would know him that well. They might be sharing the same circle of friends, and he in fact was also his boss, but he never been close enough to him to know about his personal interest and such. He’d never guess that the older one collected a huge collection of action figures for a start. But.... it did make sense. All of the pieces information that he shares.... all of the timing, they all fits perfectly.

“So... the dog that you owned... Chopper....?” Gulf mumbled confusedly.

“Yeah, who else?” The older one chuckled amusedly.

Also, remember that Gulf told his friends that he would never consider to date them because it was just simply unthinkable? It also applied to P’Mew. He never thought that he would date him. Ever. They were just far too different with each other, with a different set of interest, and a lot of other different things.... He shook his head frustratingly, and made the older one leaned his own back to the wall behind him and look at him in amusement, “You’d never thought that you would date me, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry, Phi...,” He looked at him apologetically.

“Well, to be honest, I also never expect that it would be you,” The older one pushed up his bangs and move to rest his chin on his right hand's knuckles. “But the fancy algorithm apparently decided that we’re matched up for each other... so, what do you think?”

“You typed differently than usual, how would I know??” Gulf asked him in confusion.

“Look, I would never typed that way to my friend, right?” He chuckled again. “And so do you.”

“Well, you’re right...” Gulf scratched his head tiredly.

“So...?” Mew tried again, raising his left eyebrows.

“Isn’t it ironic that our client earlier told me that you have to marrying your best friend to have the best relationship ever?”

“Oh, so, now we’re going to marrying each other?”

_“P’Mew—“_

He laughed amusedly before he reached out to ruffle the younger’s fluffy hair to calm him down. “You see,” He smiled weakly. “This accident reminded me how I’m always way too busy to share my personal life to my closest friends. I don’t think that I ever share my personal interest to all of you guys. Like, even if we know each other from college days, aren’t we basically just a work acquaintance at this point?”

“Well, everybody have different interpretation when it comes to personal space, and I understand with your decision not to share some part of your private life with us.”

“Also, sorry, that I apparently never put much attention to your personal life,” Mew heaved another sigh.

“It’s okay, it’s not like I ever share it much either, it’s just P’Mild that been peering too much to my life,” Gulf mumbled slowly.

“So? You want to give it a try?” Mew tried again.

“I.... don’t know....” The younger one looked down guiltily.

“We barely talk much to each other privately before without our friends, right? And who knows that we could clicked easily?" Mew smirked a bit, "Right, Goop?”

Gulf snorted when he heard the silly nickname that he made up, “Well, if you say so...”

“Let’s just say that we already tired with those apps that Mild been pushing to our face... at least it would be easier, right? Since we already know each other to begin with?”

“ _'Easier'_ , really, P’Mick?” Gulf chuckled when he heard that.

“Well... for starters, let me introduce my favorite salmon dish here...,” He opened up the huge menu and pointed out to one of delicious looking dish while Gulf just rolled his eyes.

 _“Phi..._ I’m allergic to seafood....”

“Yeah, right, sorry, another thing to be remember,” Mew tapped his own chin lightly, which made the younger one chuckled. “How about curry rice? Or gyukatsu? Tonkotsu ramen? Beef bowl?”

“Any dish with chicken, beef, or pork would be fine, Phi,” He chuckled amusedly as he saw the older one trying to look for another menu that wasn't a seafood.

“Well, okay, they also served delicious gyukatsu here, let’s just go with it, okay?” Mew closed the menu and press the bells to call for the waitress.

“So...” Mew started again, while waiting for the waitress to come.

“So?” Gulf blinked his eyes in confusion.

“Hi, Goob,” He rested his chin on his palm and raised his eyebrows teasingly.

“Hi, P’Mick,” Gulf giggled with amusement at the older one’s antics.

“What else do you want to know about me?”

**Author's Note:**

> this is probably one of the most light hearted stories that i’ve ever wrote lololol. at first, i want to make a guessing game wether gulf's match would be either mild/mew/boat but— nah, it would be too obvious, so i decided to dropped it at a very last minute, lol. please leave your thoughts in the comment section below ☺️❤️


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